Play Me
by BeehiveOneThreeZer0
Summary: Music is like a fire... it can heal and it can destory. NEVER FINISHING
1. Chapter 1

PLAY ME

Dedicated to Mei Lynn 64

-DO-RE-MI-FA-SO-LA-TI-DO-

'Careful fingers tapped delicate irony keys, striking notes into the dismal chorus of otherwise nothingness. Each note, each press of a key resonated in the air and called the night closer. As witching hour approached, so did the change in the wind and lull of his music. Locked in the ethereal melody that filled the air and that fantasy closer, each chorus ripped through the musician like ecstasy. It was pulling free his soul and sending the creatures to dance in his emotion. Unicorns tossed their mane in the air of pixie dust, caught on the flowing winds of a Slyph. They all seemed to dance in this lulling melody, differences pushed aside and elemental clashes ignored for this ballet of lore. The musician played on, his golden hair reflecting the moonlight and stars glittering above him, leaving his world behind in exchange for musical peace. Waiting forever. '

Ms. Red looked up from the writing. "This is amazing work Axel," she said in her best teacher's tone. "You should write like this more often. Where did you find the inspiration?"

"A dream," he muttered softly, hoping his classmates wouldn't hear.

"Always a dreamer," she said softly with a gentle smile as the stroke of her pen wrote a 100% on the top of his paper before handing it back to him. "I'll expect work like that more often Axel."

As he returned to his seat, he looked down at the written words and slipped back into the realm his dream existed in. The tentative blonde pressing the keys in a cascading rhythm, it became all he heard for the rest of the day. On his way home, a chorus of a piano echoed in his mind, chased by the sigh of spirits. When he finally made it home, he lied down on his bed and stared at the ceiling. The lullaby consumed him and he drifted off into slumber.

-DO-RE-MI-FA-SO-LA-TI-DO-

"Axel!" He turned to see Sora bounding up to him with a wide smile.

"Yo," he greeted, grabbing the brunette in a quick headlock and messing his hair as he complained. "What's got you so excited!"

"Roxas Destiny is coming to town!" he exclaimed as he broke the grip on his neck. "I can't wait!"

"Roxas Destiny?" he repeated. "Who's that?"

Sora's jaw slackened. "Only the greatest pianist in our time!"

"A pianist…?"

"Yeah! He's amazing, it sounds like the piano sings when he plays! It's so enchanting!"

"…signing… piano…?" A flash of the faceless blonde dashed through his mind. "When is this concert?"

Sora paused. "You want to go?"

"I think I'd like to see a singing piano," he replied, trying to sound smug.

"COOL! The more people, the less tickets'll cost! You make it five! Only 4 dollars a ticket!"

"Memory Skyscraper?"

"The one and only. Two weeks from now, Saturday. 11:00 pm."

Axel nodded. "Saturday it is then."

Before he realized, the day had come around. As he stepped into the theatre, he felt a strong sense of being complete after all this time. A feeling of belonging. He took his seat without question or fuss, simply setting down and interlacing his long fingers. He leaned forward from the front row seat, elbows on his knees, anxious to when it would start.

The announcer came on and introduced the pianist, curtain rising as the gentle knell of piano keys filled the quiet air. The second he saw the seat of a piano he had memorized, Axel's attention never wavered. The face of a pianist he'd dreamt about was before him, playing a tune he knew by heart. Sora was breath taken by the sight of the small blonde who looked no older than him, but so very ancient in his skills.

It seemed like the world was fading, and Axel slipped away into the ethereal music, something deep within his heart fluttering in his chest. Closing his eyes, he'd never felt so whole and true to himself. How long had he gone without it? What was missing all this time? It seemed like all the lies of the world were taken away by the truthful melody.

"Axel?"

He turned to the soft whisper, looking Sora in the eye.

"You're crying," he whispered. "Are you okay?

Axel wiped his eyes and nodded, turning back to the music as the piano did indeed seem to sing. A different tune mingled in with his own, and the air seemed to vibrate, creating a hum of spirits. For a brief moment, Axel could have sworn the blonde looked at him.

The end of the song was like the afterglow of an orgasm, pure and sweet. Sora stretched and joined his group as Axel lingered near the stage, his fingers tracing the edge as he was lead away. When he reached the edge someone yelled at him.

"Hey you," a hoarse whisper accused, "stay right there."

For some reason, he stayed until the crowd dispersed. Roxas Destiny stepped out from behind a thin curtain. "Is it time?"

"What?" Axel said automatically; in awe over the fact Roxas was talking to him.

He began motioning for Axel to come up on stage and follow him. "Come with me."

He texted Sora that he'd see him later and was lead away into the back of the stage. Roxas suddenly stopped at the piano, brushing his fingers against the top of it. He trudged past, as if it was painful to move away from the large instrument. Axel followed him into Roxas's private dressing room, watching the blonde pull away his gloves and unbutton his shirt. The redhead just blinked, afraid the image would shatter and he'd wake up if he moved.

Roxas poured a drink, shirt half unbuttoned and revealing the tantalizing expanse of his chest. Axel sat down in a nearby stuffed chair as instructed and the blonde pulled a stool up in front of him. The redhead took a nervous sip of the fluid to find it was soda- grape soda to be more precise.

"Why are you here?" Roxas demanded.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I know what you are, why are you HERE? Why now?"  
Suddenly, he didn't know. "I came to see the show I guess."

Roxas blanched. "You… you don't know?"

"Know what? That you sound absolutely insane?"

Roxas shook his head, the blonde tossed spikes thrown in the movement. "I don't believe this… you really don't know."

"Know what?" He snapped, becoming irritated.

"What is your name now?"

"HUH?"

"What's your name…?"

"Axel?" He said in an unsure tone, as if his own name had become a lie he was trying to convince himself to believe.

Roxas took a deep breath and took his shirt completely off, dropping it behind him on the floor. He gripped the stool between his legs with both hands and bowed his head. Axel turned sharply when he heard the door lock, the blue eyes looking up with an eerie glow. Tattoos lined his arms and the muscled area of his chest seemed to glow in their ornate patterns. Axel drew back sharply. "What?"

"Hello Axel, my name is Roku, Siren for Roxas. I am such."

"A siren?" Axel repeated dumbly.

Roxas nodded his decorated head.

Axel began to look around. "Okay, where's the cameras. You have to be playing a joke."

"This is no joke 'Axel.'" Roxas's tribal looking tattoos glowed for a moment and faded away from his delicate skin with a fire that looked like light itself.

Axel shook his head and slid away, backing into a wall and holding himself there weakly. "It's all real…" he stated dumbly.

"It is," Roxas said calmly, sliding away and over to him. "Do you remember?"

Suddenly something in his mind flickered, unlocked at last. He rubbed his forehead roughly as the migraine ensued. "What are you doing to me?" he grated harshly.

He felt Roxas put both of his hands on his chest. "Something wonderful."

Axel froze when he felt their lips touch. Every muscle in his body relaxed the second Roxas pulled away. Nothing had ever made more sense, and he craved it now, pressing his lips against the dusky rose color of the blonde's lips. Roxas responded to every movement as if it had been rehearsed hundreds of times over. Axel's hands slid inside the open shirt and pushed it away, no longer caring that he'd just met this person. He no longer cared about anything but Roxas.

The lithe blonde returned the gesture by slipping his fingers into the hem of his pants and pulling him down on top of him on a chase lounge that had been set up in the far corner. The music burned at his lips as Axel nipped at his collarbone, tongue exploring every contour the area.

His clothes disappeared somewhere between the caresses and gentle touches, leaving him exposed and hard. Roxas's pants joined his on the floor and the two paused for only a split second, looking deep within the patterns and colors of their eyes. Axel listened to the breathless keen of Roxas's as his hands slipped lower and gripped him. It sounded like music itself, resonating in the empty room.

The delicate sound continued as Axel pumped his member, as if practiced thousands of times over, he pressed his lips against his and the sound seemed to flow into him. It coursed through his veins and made him feel more alive, more right than ever in his life. When they parted, only one sentence left Roxas's lips in a soft whisper. "You're back…"

He was silenced by the rough feeling of a finger slipping inside him. It was joined by a second and began to carefully scissor him open. Axel made no attempt at a reply and continued nibbling at his ear. When he felt the blonde was ready, he substituted his fingers with a much needier appendage. Roxas released a soft noise of pain as his body was entered.  
As Axel thrusted in and out of the willing body beneath him, flashes of broken memories fluttered into his vision. A blonde very similar to Roxas but longer, spikier hair and a much more muscular form breathless beneath him. The same blue eyes remained cloudy and fixated on him, no matter which form Axel saw. He came within him, hard and fast and the blonde followed soon after with a little help from long, skilled fingers.

"Who are you?" He breathed slowly.

"You once called me Cloud," was the music lined reply that seemed to alight a billion fires within his clouded mind.

Cloud. Axel fell asleep to that simple and beautiful name, Roxas curling up beside him and letting sleep take him.

-DO-RE-MI -FA-SO-LA-TI-DO-

Roxas slipped away from the sleeping redhead, and dressed; the music threatening to kill him as he slipped out of the room and to the grand piano. He took a deep breath and allowed his soul to flow into the melody, creating an effortless musical happening that none could describe. A few of the backstage workers, packing up for the night, stayed to listen to him play. It didn't sound like a piano as he began to hum along with the old melody of Moonlight. He could feel himself slipping away from the human world, but kept his feet solidly on the ground until he could take his beloved with him. Forethought brought the continuous tune to an end; a dim clapping surrounded him as people exited.

He turned to see the redhead, captured in his music and half asleep. "Cloud," he said stupidly. "Who am I?"

"You're name is now Axel."

"Axel," he repeated. "Yeah. That's right…" he turned and walked back to the room.

Roxas followed quietly. He watched as Axel sat down on the stool, hair in disarray and pants loose on his hips, shirt still somewhere on the floor.

"Are you alright?"

"I just fucked someone I don't know… but I do." He said slowly. "Who _are _you?"

"Roxas Destiny, previously Cloud Strife until an untimely event."

"Previously?"

Roxas sighed and pulled a fold up chair in front of him, straddling the seat and resting his arms on the back of it before looking up at Axel. "As you know, I am a Siren. I always have been."

"Always…?"  
"Even as Cloud," he replied softly. "Just as you have always been human."

Axel searched the blue eyes for a further explanation, or indication that he was lying.

"You were once called Reno."

"Reno?" he repeated, it sounded so… right.

Roxas nodded, "There are laws in my people. You were taken away from me in the most permanent of ways."

Images flickered across Axel's mind again, still partially cryptic. "Permanent?" he questioned. "I'm here… and very confused though."

"They killed us Axel."

That caught the redhead's attention; he locked his perdiot gaze with Roxas's sapphire in shock.

"With my dying breathe, I sang one final song. One that would bring us together again."

Axel murmured the name of the song.

Roxas smiled, "yes. Do you remember?"

Axel paused before he shook his head. "It's there I just can't see it. Why… why did they kill us?"

Roxas looked away, "as I said. There are rules for my kind to obey. I committed a terrible felony for my love to you."

"But, you're still…" he didn't have the gumption to finish that sentence.

"I'm still part of that world, I know. However, I have been here for the duration of this life, I do not believe they have located me thus far."

"They will though… won't they?"

He did not answer.

"It's only a matter of time…"

"Time?" Roxas repeated. "I do not feel the effects of time. Only you mortals."

"But I do," Axel said firmly. "I'll become old and decrepit someday."

Roxas bit his lips and avoided his eyes. "If you live that long Re- I mean Axel."

"exactly, I'm human. Mortal even. You're…." he waved his hand at him. "perfect."

"Not without you," Roxas said smoothly.

"Why the hell not? You've got so much going for you without me in the picture to get you killed."

"No I don't, without you I have no reason to live."

This confused the redhead further, when he opened his mouth to speak, Roxas cut him off. "There's a thing in my world called Lifemates. Soulmates. The ONE. Whatever you want to call it. Two people are bound to each other and give reason to exist to one another. It's the only thing we immortals live to find and keep."

"But you don't get to keep me!" Axel protested. "You DIE for me! I die anyway if you do get to keep me for a little while!" He was yelling, but unable to help himself. "It's stupid. Find your soulmate in another immortal."

"I can't!" He yelled back.

Axel froze.

"You don't think I haven't THOUGHT of all that!? I searched for YOU Axel! I found YOU! I don't **_want _**someone else! YOU are my mate! You and you ALONE! It's unchangeable!"

Axel found himself inches away from the face of a blonde, perched on his toes, wings spread behind him angrily, tattoos gleaming, and crying his eyes out with his teeth clenched. Every muscle in the blonde's body was tense as he made a solid landing on his feet again and wiped his tears. Axel reached out to his shoulders and was unsure what to do.

"I love you Axel. I loved you then I love you now, it's who I am and you're who I'm meant to be with… It's disgusting to think of anyone else."

Axel gave into his primal urges and pulled the blonde into his chest. "But I'm going to die again…"

"I can find you again. It's not hard to lose sight of your hair."

He managed a snort of laughter. "I don't want you to wait around for that."

Roxas wrapped his arms around his thin form and cried into his chest. Axel just rested his chin on Roxas's hair and stared past the glorious wings that spread from his shoulder blades.

"What now?"

He felt Roxas shake his head. "I don't know…" he choked.

Axel pulled away from him and looked him in the eyes again, biting his lip. "How long have you been looking for me…?"

"Since the day I came back…"

"Your whole life," Axel elaborated.

Roxas nodded, hushing another wave of tears.

"They're going to find us again…. You know what happens then."

Roxas nodded once, a short bob of his head saying everything. "I don't care."

"I do," Axel snorted. "You'll have to go through this all over again…"

He felt the arms wrap around him and squeeze again. "It's worth it."

Axel softly returned the embrace. Nothing that could be said would change the inevitable.


	2. Chapter 2

-DO-RE-MI-FA-SO-LA-TI-DO-

"Okay, let's review."

"Lock the doors, draw the curtains, and don't answer the door or phone."

"Very good," Axel pressed a kiss on Roxas's forehead and the blonde giggled slightly. "I'll be back as soon as I'm clear."

"Must you go?" He fluttered up in hope, weightless on the air.

"I have to pay the rent and I have to graduate college Roxas, human's are weird like that. They require a piece of paper to prove that I'm knowledgeable."  
"That's so foolish, how can a paper determine one's knowledge?"  
" You have to earn the paper with the knowledge. Anyway, I need to go."

"Good bye Axel."

"Bye Rox." He gave the blonde another quick kiss and he hurried away.

Roxas sighed and shut the door, turning the deadbolt and reinforcing it with the chain. It had been three days since their encounter. Roxas had disappeared from the music world, running away with Axel to live in his small two bedroom apartment. Even though their relationship was far from platonic, Axel insisted that Roxas have his own room and bed.

He hated that.

He closed all the curtain and the living place was drawn into relative darkness, he flicked a light switch and sat on the edge of his bed. He let himself fall backwards into the soft contours of his wings and stared at the ceiling. Eventually he craved music and retrieved an Ipod Axel had gotten him and played music through a small speaker system on his nightstand. He fell asleep to birds chirping and the soft lull of Enigma.

He opened his eyes to see a tormenter. He was restrained, hung from a wall and bleeding heavily. Barbed wire was strung around his neck, making even breathing painful. The restraint had brothers, wrapped around his waist, chest, ankles, wrists and wings. He was bleeding from every tiny movement. He looked up to see a man with faint blonde hair. "Father…"

A sword plunged through his stomach, lurching Roxas awake and panicked.

He found himself in warm, caring arms. "Shh Roxas it was just a dream."

He cried into the shoulder of his beloved human. A glance at the clock said it was eleven at night, he'd slept the day away. He continued to sob, burying his face in Axel's warm jacket and muscle. A hand ran up and down his spine beneath his wings, "It was just a dream." He repeated. "Just a dream."

He began to radiate melodies, just a hum in the ears of humans, thunder ripped through the sky and it began to storm. Axel paid this no mind and continued to soothe the little blonde Siren. He scooped the blonde up and slid up on the bed with him, cradling the tangled mess of sheets and Roxas on his lap, and cuddled him into his chest.

They remained like that, lightning cracking with every sob. The melody formed words that echoed in the room, a woman's lulling voice piercing the silence as Axel pressed kisses to his hair.

_This was an accident, not the kind without a sound. _Roxas managed to look up into the vivid green eyes of his lover before a muffled sob broke through him again, embracing the redhead's neck with his arms.

_Never even noticed, we're suddenly crumbling. _"You need to tone it down Rox," Axel whispered. "Calm down."

"I… I can't…" he sobbed into Axel's neck. "I just can't…"

Axel pretended to understand and held him close. _Tell me how you've never felt delicate or innocent. _

Lighting flashed and the air around him started to reverberate the melody, filling a warm bubble around the blonde in melody that started to take shape in the form of colors. Like rainbow spirits, they floated around them, almost protectively, flickering with every change in the beat. _Do you still have doubts that us having faith makes any sense? _Axel knew if he didn't find a way to calm the blonde down, they risked exposure. He pulled Roxas away from him and slowly closed the distance between him and the crying blonde. _Tell me now that nothing ever, comes lashing out or breaking down. _Roxas responded to the touch of Axel's lips on his, craving the feeling like an addict. The music seemed to envelope the two of them, the dancing spirits of colorful light creating a protective barrier around them, a concert for lovers. _Still somebody loses, 'cause there's no way to turn around. _

Roxas's wings curled around them and Axel could feel the soft brush of feathers on his shoulders, a warm tongue asking for entry at his lips. He complied, the skilled muscle caressing and exploring. _Staring at your father, everything now in the past. _The blonde's hands slipped lower to let his fingers venture across the expanse of Axel's chest. The redhead pulled his shirt away, giving the small blonde easier access. _Never felt so lonely, I wish that you could show me love-_ Axel's lips recaptured his and Roxas moaned softly at the contact of their skin and lips. He forgot what the point of this exercise was and succumbed to the effects of the ethereal being. Music flowed through him again, and he loved every decibel of it. Suddenly Roxas broke away and pushed him off and sat up. "NO!"

Axel toppled to the floor and the bands of rainbow spirits disappeared. "Show me love" echoed five times before "Till you open the door. Five more times as Axel stared at the glowing blonde, confused. Five times again as he stood up, it vibrated so badly he couldn't understand the lyrics, followed by what he guessed was five more a phrase, another five and "till I'm screaming for more."

"No," Roxas whimpered, clasping his hands over his ears. "NO."

He watched as the barrier bloomed away from him like a flower and then Roxas seemed to glow with a white flame. His eyes opened and he could see the beacon bright blue. He took a step forward as tears fell from those eyes, confused and hurt. "NO! DON'T COME NEAR ME!"

He froze in place, unable to really help himself. Roxas continued to shake his head and fight off something, wind threw hail at the windows. The music suddenly turned into one high-pitched frequency and the windows cracked, dogs howled all around the city. Then it shifted to static before silence, the flame instantly fading and his tattoos slowly fading back from the white glow. Roxas fell to his hands and knees, panting heavily as his wings drooped from his back.

"What…?"

"I'm a fool," Roxas cried. "I can't stay…"

Axel listened closely as Roxas regained his strength, sitting up some and wiping away what looked like glowing white blood from his lip.

"I'm a siren, I require a substance only my world can provide," there was an awkward pause. "I don't think I ever told you… again... did I?" another pause. "Siren's require spirit energy to live. It's the source of our music. We're related to the succubus on how we crave it and acquire it."

"Succubus?" Axel repeated dumbly.

"Yes, the soul eaters themselves," he said slowly, looking at him for closure he couldn't find. "we eat spirit energy, a human contains a variable amount of it, but when drained they cease to exist. Unlike other creatures, succubus and Siren cannot produce this energy and have to feed on the spirit of others to live. Humans create only a certain amount of it… your lifespan."

"What? I'm confused…"

Roxas chuckled slightly. "I nearly ate your spirit energy just now…."

He couldn't help the choke of surprise. "Wh-what?"

"If I had started, I would have killed you Axel."

He couldn't help but being afraid. "Why?"

"I'm like an addict," he smoothed out his words. "I crave the very thing that keeps you alive. I need it to survive. If I had started draining you, I wouldn't be able to stop. I have to go back and replenish my strength."

"You have to kill someone?" Axel's voice trembled on the words.

"Not in my world. Only when in this one would I kill, in my world I can merely breathe and intake spirit energy."

He released a breath of air.

"There's only one problem."

"What?"

"I have to take you."

"Why? I'll be fine here…"

Roxas chuckled again. "When I rejected you… rejected your spirit energy, I practically sent out a beacon to every fantasy creature in a three hundred thousand mile radius. You wouldn't last ten minutes without me here. I have to take you with me and risk your life in my world."

Axel swallowed with a nod and Roxas convulsed slightly, clutching his forehead before smiling. "We need to go."

-----

If I don't get some reviews on this, I'll delete it. I don't like dissapointments in my writing. I'll think of another fic for Mei.

"Yeah," he agreed.


	3. Chapter 3

-DO-RE-MI-FA-SO-LA-TI-DO-

Stepping into Roxas's world was like being bathed in music. Bass pounded through the air and resonated from nearly every creature. Roxas seemed to reflect this in his voice, when he laughed it echoed on the air like a chorus of bells.

He recognized some tunes from his world. Roxas laughed again, "You look like a codfish."

He closed his mouth and exchanged a short glare at the blonde. The blonde smiled and turned away, taking a deep breath. "Come on. We need to find Nami."

"Nami?"

"A friend, she'll help us out."

"Okay," Axel said firmly, trusting the Siren completely as he spread his gorgeous wings.

"Come here," he smiled.

The music suddenly changed to what sounded more like face paced rock music, but had the same beauty. Axel stepped up to him, reaching out to take Roxas's hand nervously and the blonde grasped it quickly, pulling the redhead into his chest and then bolting up into the sky with him.

Axel screamed at first, but Roxas's reassuring grip on him made him eventually comfortable and he relaxed in Roxas's hold as the two bolted through the sky. He glanced over his shoulder at the passing world below, gaping at the beauty of the world of Sirens. Strange looking birds with human faces, breasts, and hair that billowed in the wind flew along side of him. Roxas greeted them in another language and flew beyond them, smiling like a child. Axel gripped him for his life, peeking downward to see nothing but clouds and birds.

The flight took what could have been hours, but seemed like glorious moments. "Hang on," He shifted Axel in his arms to bridal style and let his wings spread directly out behind him, plummeting through the air a few hundred feet as Axel panicked. With a last movement, his wings regained their horizontal composure and stopping the fall, Roxas set the dizzied redhead on his feet on a small branch, leaving his hand on his shoulder to balance him.

"Can you walk?"

"I'm fine," Axel said mindlessly.

Roxas smirked and took his hand, giving Axel a moment to look around. The tree they stood on was massive, the branches larger than a city sidewalk and carved flat, homes on every ledge and he felt like a fairy in Ferngully in size comparison to the leaves and flowers that dotted the landscape. With a grin, Roxas led him away. Music radiated from Roxas alone now, the sounds of birds and soft chatter of frail beings with pointed ears and pale skin surrounding them.

Roxas found himself at the point of arrow, created from looked like paper and fully ready to be shot, "State your name." The blonde behind the bow commanded. "Why have your kind come here?"

Axel took a step backward but Roxas gripped his wrist, "Namine…"

The bow laxed somewhat and lowered, "How did you come by my name?"

"It's me," he said smoothly, "I'm in a new form, but it's me…. Cloud."

She gasped, "Forgive me! I apologize fully!" The bow and arrow disintegrated into paper cards and floated away. "It's been a while my friend," she said as she wrapped her thin arms around him with a kiss on the cheek. He patted her back, "My name's Roxas now."

"Roxas then," she looked up to see Axel, whom looked disturbed by the ordeal. "You must be the new Reno, what is your current name?"

"Uh…. Axel."

"Greetings Axel," she smiled, crossing over to kiss him on the cheek and hug him.

She led them inside and sat them down on what appeared to be a large mushroom growing from the wall, padded with flowers and leaves. "What brings you here?" She asked as she fixed spirit nectar.

"I had to return to regain my strength," Roxas said gloomily.

"Oh dear," she mused. "I assume the others have found out about him again?" she pointed to Axel for emphasis.

"I'm not sure, but I think it's safe to assume so." Namine handed him a cup of something.

"We're going to pick up on our research then?"

"Yes," Roxas said nodding as she handed a cup to Axel as well.

"Research?" Axel piped in. "About what?"

"You of course," she said smiling.

"What about me?"

Roxas sighed, "You agreed to this in your last life, we're searching for a way to make you an immortal of some form."

"Some… form?"  
Namine' began listing off creatures of lore that generally had a human form, "vampires, werewolf, siren, fallen, griffon, a mancer, mage…." The list went on, ending with, "The simplest would be an immortal human."

"So you're like, what...? Searching for the fountain of youth?"

"Yes," Roxas said nodding. "That way we can live in peace."

Namine' sat down her cup and closed her eyes. A book suddenly appeared before her, pages flying and then stopped on a particular spot. "I discovered this in your absence."

The open book floated to him and Roxas took it in his hands, Axel leaned over to see a weird form of chicken scratch that Roxas read intently. "Fascinating," he said once he had finished.

"Is it not?" Namine' said smiling.

"What?" Axel said dumbly staring at the weird language he couldn't fathom to understand.

Roxas closed the book and handed it back to Namine', it floating away into the oblivion between them. "Where did you get that book? I've never heard of it."

"The Edge."

Roxas tensed, "What? You'd be foolish to venture to The Edge, much less trust something from it."

"We've tried everything else before," she reasoned quietly. "And it's a logical theory, what do we have to lose?" she fixated her eyes on them both, lips parted slightly in preparation for more argument.

Roxas shook slightly, "If you expect me to trust this exert, take to me to the exact location you found it."

Namine paled, "That could be dangerous."

"You ventured there once, you should have no problem a second time."

Axel stared between them as the tension was obvious. "What's the edge?"

Roxas turned back to him, "you'll see."

Axel swallowed, not really liking the idea of that.

-DO-RE-MI-FA-SO-LA-TI-DO-

As soon as the decision was firm, Namine began to prepare. She disappeared into a hollow tree and Roxas allowed Axel to follow her, telling him that he would like what he saw. He walked nosily in comparison to her graceful, long strides, a bag slung over her shoulder. They reached the center of the tunnel and Namine made a soft noise, accented by the roll of her tongue. As she did so, a white nose peeked out of the darkness. Axel watched curiously as she reached into her bag and pulled out a bundle of leaves, unwrapping it to reveal a spherical drop of liquid. She made the noise again.

He gasped as the white nose turned into a full face, then body. Brilliant raven black, a unicorn with a silver mane stepped out of the darkness. It's wings were the same obsidian color, withers had silver streaks as did a trail between it's deep turquoise eyes. "What is it?"

She did not reply, holding the sphere out in both hands. It seemed cautious at first, then stepped closer on glittering hooves before nipping at the bubble. Axel watched in shock and awe as the creature devoured the entire sphere without letting one bit touch the ground. "His name is Replica…" Namine said smoothly, disposing of the leaf wrapping and running her hand down his face. "He's one of the last of his kind."

"why's that…"

"The silver you see is real. All of the Syvettes have fur created of the purest metals and materials. Riku was his previous owner, and when he passed on, he left Replica to me." She turned to see Axel. "Do not think of a Syvette as a horse, ever. They are extremely intelligent and can understand everything you say and feel." She ran her small hands down his face again. "He will carry me on our journey, will you not Replica?"

The creature nipped at her hair, it was a silly question.

"What is a Ci-vet-te?"

"Syvette," he corrected in perfect dialect. "You humans would call them the cross between unicorns and Pegasus. We call them our friends. Replica is like a brother to me." She moved her hands across his fur and checked his entire body for any injury or problems. As she did so, he stood perfectly still and did exactly as she asked. The turquoise eyes stared directly at Axel as the redhead stared back, almost nervous by the strange and ancient intelligence in those eyes.

"How old is he?" he asked on a low breath.

"Older than I," she said. "Riku met him when he was just a child and his father before him the same. Syvettes are immortal dear, and so few are left."

As if to emphasize, the creature lowered its head and closed its eyes, mourning its fallen kin. Namine' came to stand beside Axel again. "We will be back for you in the morning Replica, do get your rest tonight."

He nodded with the gentle closing of its eyes and turned away. Axel was captivated by the graceful walk despite his size. Namine' then turned her attention elsewhere, walking to a store like place and obtaining a variety of strange looking fruits and spheres of liquid. "If you don't mind me asking," Axel started slowly as he followed her from tree to tree. "What are you? If Roxas is a Siren and all…?"

"I was wondering when you would ask," she said smiling. "I'm an Lifian."

He tried to comprehend what she had just said.

"An elf," she raised her eyebrow, amused his lack of understanding. "or a fairy, depending on where you look."

He looked her up and down, and realized how stupid he must sound. "Sorry."

"It's no trouble," she said with a wave of her hand and a delicate smile. "The term for Siren is actually Mortiguae, but Roxas knew you wouldn't understand, just as we speak your language so you can listen to us."

Axel lowered his head, "I'm sorry, I don't mean to bother you…"

"It doesn't bother us at all. In fact we enjoy it, it gives us a chance to be on equal terms."

He looked up at her, confused.

"You see, I'm not completely fluent in Mortiguae, and Roxas isn't fluent in Lifian. We are both fluent speakers of Human English, it's actually convenient. Do not feel as if you are burdening us at all."

Axel managed a shaky smile and nodded. "Okay then."

"Now," she stepped into a shop. "What would you like for dinner tonight. I am aware humans cannot survive on spirit energy as Roxas can."

He looked nervous. "I don't… know…"

"Well, have a look around. You may find something that appeals to you."

He took an uneasy step to stand behind her, looking at various fruits of different colors and shapes. Strangely he found himself picking up what could have passed off to be a mine. It was a vivid array of purples and pinks with spikes coming out of every direction of its surface. It was leathery and felt odd in his hands. "What is it?"

"That is a Gogot. It's very sweet, mildly tangy. I think you'd like it."

He bit his lip nervously, "Did Reno like them?"

"Reno always enjoyed them yes, he also liked Baki, Jurqyo, and Kljqui."

"is alright if I try all those you just said?"  
She nodded. "It is no problem, perhaps you'd like to try some meats from our world as well?"  
He nodded and was led away after Namine collected the said items from earlier. They stood in front of what looked like an Elvin butcher, pieces of meat strung on a string from the stand.

"You you like to try Reno's favorite?"

He nodded, feeling lost otherwise.

She spoke in a foreign tongue and told the brusque Elvin man what she wanted, he handed the carcass of some skinned, gutted creatures without bones. She packed them all away in her bag and they began to walk home when Axel saw something that caught his eyes. "What are those?"

Namine followed his extended finger to a bubble with a cork on the top. Inside was a colorful, sparkling creature suspended on what looked like butterfly wings. Namine' led him closer to the little creatures. Up close, he realized it was what looked like a tiny, white fox with large butterfly wings. The entire being could fit in his hand and was just a little fluff ball of fur with four tails. It had large blue eyes and a tiny pink nose with silver paws and a silver tipped tail. When it moved, a glow of color seemed to radiate from its finger and body. Its wings were vaguely shaped like a butterflies, but created of tendrils of light and color that blended together to form a solid form.

"It's called a Faeline."

"Fay-lin…?" Axel repeated slowly. "What are they?"

"Pixie animals would be the closest thing I could compare them to in your world. Think hamsters with wings. They are pets, very loyal and sometimes even useful companions."

"It's so pretty." He mused. The big blue eyes of the little creature stared up at him before it resumed trying to escape its glass prison.

Namine' gently pulled him away from the little creature and led him back to the tree that was her home, her sack was beginning to get heavy. Roxas greeted them with a slight amusement, "Did you enjoy yourself?"

He began to babble about all the amazing things, mispronouncing all of the technical terms. He was like a small child surrounded by this magical world. Finally he drew to a close with the birds and things he'd seen right as they came inside. Namine' chimed in about the details as she prepared a meal for the curious and bubbly human.

Roxas nodded, rising to a stand, "I'll be back." He mused, throwing a smile over his shoulder as he walked outside. "Just stretching is all."

Axel watched as he spread his wings and hovered above the ground before floating away. Namine' placed a plate like object in front of him and he graciously took it in his hands, tilting his head at the strange variety of thing in front of him. It smelled good, and with a cautious hand, he picked up a piece of Gogot and sucked it into his mouth. The skin was thick and slightly chewy, protecting the soft and decadent inside. Little seeds turned out to be pockets of sugary water when he bit into them as he chewed.

With this piece of the menu clarified he proceeded to devour and taste the rest, not finding one thing he did not like. Namine' smiled at him over a cup of liquid, sipping occasionally. The both turned their heads to the rustle of leaves and saw Roxas land at the front of the house, it was a fast land, his knee touching the ground and his body doubling over something he held to his chest. When he rose, Axel was chewing on something meaty, a bone sticking out of his lip. He blinked a couple times and Roxas walked in with a covered object and held it out to Axel.

"Be careful, it's very fragile."

Axel set the plate down next to him and took the covered globe into his hands. He looked it over a few times when Namine' chided him into opening it. When he pulled a small vine, the velvety covering fabric fell away, and the glass bubble was revealed. He gasped when he saw a tiny little faeline curled in the base of the glass, sleeping soundly. It was the same one he was looking at earlier.

His glimmering eyes looked up to Roxas. "Thank you! I love him!"

Roxas smiled. "Open the bottle and drop him into your hand."

Axel carefully unscrewed the bottle, awaking the tiny fox and tilted it towards his hand. The little creature tumbled out and looked up at him with wide, curious eyes.

"Go on," Namine said slowly "name him and he's your forever."

"Chi," Axel said slowly. "His name is Chi."

The little creature stood up and bounded off his hand, tripling into the size of a small cat. It sat on it's haunches and looked at him.

"Say your name," Roxas advised.

"My name is Axel," the redhead told the beautiful creature. "I will take good care of you, will you stay with me?"

He held out his hand and the faeline hesitated at first, then stepped forward and licked his finger. Axel took the offering of friendship and petted it's head. It quickly found its way into his lap, sparkling wings vanishing for the time being and looked like an albino fox with silver markings and four tails. He stroked his impossibly soft fur lovingly and the little thing purred. Namine' had retired for the night,

"What do they eat?"

"Nothing," Roxas replied. "They live off positive emotion. As long as you or someone close to you has some piece of love and care for him, he will live. Faelines are companions for life, much like Replica, and can be passed down through generations."

Axel smiled and looked down at the purring animal. "He's so pretty." He looked back up the smiling Siren. "Thank you Roxas."

Roxas leaned down and kissed his forehead, "you're welcome."

He was held back by Axel's hand gripping the back of his neck and pressed his lips to his. When they broke apart, the little thing yawned and Roxas reached down to pet it. "You should sleep tonight, we have a long journey ahead of us."

Axel smiled, "Will you… stay with me?"

The blonde smiled, "If you stay with me."

They exchanged a short kiss and then the redhead scooped the bundle of white fur into his arms before following him into a bedroom. Axel set Chi down at the foot of the bed and he stretched like a cat before sleeping deeply again. The two shared a smile and Axel shed his shirt before climbing into a strange looking bed that was surprisingly soft and made of what looked like feathers and flower petals. Roxas slid into the sheets of fur and covered them both, embracing Axel in a ritual of sound sleep.

---

I had to delete a good fourth of teh chapter and re-write what happened ... then I got the idea of Chi. I like Chi. He's cute. The Edge was the real inspiration though, just wait till you see what it is. ^_o


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